H.S. SWIMMING: Hingham intent on making splash

Wednesday

The Hingham High swimming and diving team has reason for optimism this winter.

Just look at the team’s first match.

“We are looking very good,” said Hingham senior captain Katherine Connolly at the end of Hingham’s meet against Norwell. “Everyone has been working really hard at practice.”

The Harborwomen earned a 95-80 win, while the Harbormen were bested 97-67 by the Clippers. Just as their veterans rose to the challenge of leadership, the newest members of both teams found success in their first splashes.

Freshman Liv Cataldo led a 1-2-3 Hingham sweep in the 200 yard free (2:09), with sophomore Sophia Matera and junior Maire O'Driscoll. In the 100 free, freshmen Agnes O'Reilly and Deirdre Congdon outflanked their Norwell rivals in a 1-3 race.

The boys newest swimmers also showed promise with point-scoring swims. Freshman Jake Bednarski anchored the second place 200 medley relay (with sophomore Nolan Doherty and senior captains Kevin Grady and Lawson Roberts), before finishing third in the 100 butterfly (1:08) and fifth in the 200 individual medley.

Freshman Steve McDougall followed sophomores Pierce Donegan and Ian Strehle in a 3-4-5 finish in the 500 free - the only event in which the Hingham boys placed all three swimmers in scoring position - before that trio jumped right back into the water in a 200 free relay with sophomore P.J. Harrington, finishing second (1:51).

Three sophomore girls won events. Mary Kelly Prosky Gilbert pounced off the block and did not ease up in her 27.81 win in the 50 free, joined by Congdon (fourth) and senior Hannah Lewack (fifth). MacDonald and Cataldo teamed with senior captain Delia Delorie for a 1-2-4 effort in the 100 breaststroke. Matera's 500 freestyle win (5:48) met the South Sectionals qualifying standard.

Delorie was also part of a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 backstroke. When she finished, she noticed the red caps on both swimmers already at the wall (Connolly and Burnham).

“I was very relieved, actually,” she cheered, “We were able dominate the event, like we usually do.”

Connolly won every time she hit the water, leading Rockett (third) and sophomore Emma Grady (fourth) in the 100 butterfly (1:00.28). She qualified for States in that event and in the 100 backstroke (1:03.94). She also teamed with Burnham, MacDonald, and Matera on the States-qualifying 200 medley relay (2:01) and Sectionals-qualifying 400 free relay (4:10). Hingham's swift underclassmen roared to a win in the 200 free relay (1:58) (Prosky Gilbert, Cataldo, Rockett, and Congdon).

On the boys side, McInnis led coast-to-coast in the 200 freestyle (2:03) and then Roberts won the 50 free (23.84). That pair of wins set the stage for a much-anticipated duel in the 100 free. Roberts blasted to a body-length lead in the first half, but then McInnis chased him through the last 50 yards into a foamy 1-2 finish: Roberts out-touched McInnnis 53.62 to 53.69.

“I was gassed at the end,” Roberts marveled, “Greg has been training hard since last season and he almost caught me.”

The talented sophomore boys tallied points in almost every event. Doherty finished second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 individual medley (2:20), and Harrington churned to second in the 100 backstroke and fifth in the 100 butterfly. Adding to their 500 free points, Donegan was third in the 200 free and Strehle fifth in the 100 breaststroke.

Both teams face Pembroke at 11 a.m. on Jan. 5 at the Lincoln-Hancock Pool in Quincy.